Father and Son Killers Behind 15 Deaths in Sydney Antisemitic Attack

A father and his son opened fire on crowds celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and injuring over 40 in an attack condemned as “terrorist” and “antisemitic” by the Australian government.

The nation has declared a day of national mourning for Monday, December 15.

Father and Son Identified as Assailants

• The attackers were identified by New South Wales police as a father, 50, and his son, 24.
• The father was shot dead by police officers at the scene, while the son remains hospitalised in a critical condition with injuries.
• Local Police Chief Mal Lanyon confirmed the incident was an “act of terrorism” and stated that investigators discovered an improvised explosive device in a car linked to the deceased assailant.

Targeted Attack on Jewish Community

The ten-minute attack, which sent shockwaves across Australia and the world, targeted celebrations on the first day of the nine-day Hanukkah festival.

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the event as “a malicious, antisemitic and terrorist act that has struck at the heart of our nation,” calling it “a targeted attack against Australian Jews, on what should be a day of joy.”
• “An attack on Australian Jews is an attack on all Australians,” Mr. Albanese affirmed.
• One of the fatalities was identified as Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a London-born father of five.
• Hours after the late Sunday afternoon shooting, personal belongings were still scattered on the blood-stained sand of Bondi, a beach popular with both locals and tourists worldwide. An AFP journalist observed a child’s pram, bags, and towels left behind on the grassy hill overlooking the beach by people who fled the gunfire.

National Mourning and International Outcry

Prime Minister Albanese announced that all Australian flags would be flown at half-mast on Monday as a sign of national mourning for the victims.

• The Prime Minister condemned the “evil unleashed on Bondi Beach beyond all understanding” but praised the “heroes” who intervened to try and subdue the shooters.
• International Condemnation: World leaders swiftly condemned the violence.
  • US President Donald Trump called the attack “terrible” and “purely antisemitic.”
  • Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke of a “very cruel attack against Jews” by “vile terrorists.”
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lamented a “cancer that spreads when leaders remain silent and do not act.”
  • The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside the leaders of Ukraine and France, expressed solidarity. A French national was among the dead.

Heroic Passers-by Saved Lives

Amidst the horror, attention turned to the bravery of ordinary citizens who risked their lives:

• Social media footage showed a passer-by in a car park rushing an assailant from behind, wrestling his weapon away, and pointing it at the attacker before the shooter fled.
• US President Trump praised this individual, saying he was “an extremely brave person who confronted one of the shooters and saved many lives.”
• The Prime Minister of New South Wales, Chris Minns, also hailed the “wonderful and brave Australians, ready to risk their lives to help a perfect stranger.”
• Local media outlet 7News identified the hero as Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit vendor, who was shot twice and is currently hospitalised in a serious condition. His cousin, Mustapha, called him “a 100% hero.”

Antisemitism in Australia

The attack follows a series of antisemitic incidents that have generated fear within Australia’s Jewish community over the past two years.

• Australia has previously accused Tehran of being behind two of these acts and expelled the Iranian ambassador four months ago.
• The National Council of Australian Imams condemned the “traumatising attack” and urged all Australians, “including the Australian Muslim community, to stand together in unity, compassion and solidarity.”

Source: Defi Media